Object of Desire
by abri-chan
Summary: Finishing his studies abroad, Josuke returns to Morioh as an abnormal psychologist under the US Branch of the Speedwagon Foundation. Prepared to spend a rather uneventful week in his hometown, he's started by Yukako's call on the third day; Yukako, now a housewife, needs her former schoolmate's help to solve the mystery of what was later known as "The Case of Yua Takahashi's Love


I no longer post here. Come follow me on AO3: abri_chan

* * *

NEVER SPOKEN. WORDS

OF MY OWN

* * *

Josuke put the fork down and leaned back drowsily in his chair. His flight had been delayed, and he'd barely checked into the Morioh Grand Hotel before rushing home for a late dinner.

"I take it you liked the cake?" Amélie asked from across the empty dessert plate, regarding the youth with interest. In her time there, the woman had only seen Tomoko's handsome son through pictures, and she felt particularly elated to finally meet the man she'd heard so much about.

Josuke straightened himself up and stretched. "Oh, yes! We never get good cake in the States, but French cuisine is surely something else."

His enthusiasm made Amélie laugh. "I can always fix you some more. How long are you staying?" She spoke Japanese with an accent but Josuke found it cute.

"One week."

"Only one week?" Amélie turned her head towards Tomoko, who was sitting on Josuke's right, with arms folded on the table.

"I thought you were staying until New Year's," Tomoko continued in disbelief. "This was supposed to be your vacation, and you just graduated…"

Josuke sighed and rested his hands on his knees. He had managed to win a scholarship in his last year of highschool; and Jotaro and Joseph had put in a good word with the Speedwagon Foundation. But his last two years of university had been so intense he could only phone home. Looking at the two women in front of him, Josuke felt the fatigue of the flight press down on him.

"It was originally two months, but—my mentor had to take an emergency leave… She's the best fit within the division; and it would delay the project by months, if I didn't start right away. I couldn't exactly—"

"They know you have a family, don't they?" Tomoko broke in, leaning forward. "Josuke, I haven't seen you in two years!"

Josuke lowered his head at his mother's stern voice, nervously tugging at the fabric of his trousers.

"It's okay, Tomoko," Amélie spoke softly. "We can still make the most out of this week." With her chin on one hand, she'd been listening to their familial bickering in silence, but Josuke's guilty expression panged her heart. "Tomorrow they're playing a movie I've been meaning to watch. And we can go to Tonio's place after."

"I—I can also arrange for you to visit during the holidays," Josuke stammered. "Amélie too!"

"That would be lovely," Amélie smiled, glancing at Tomoko, who shook her head in defeat. "But you look tired, dear. You need to rest."

Josuke nodded; his trip had been long and the hearty meal made him feel even more sluggish. Amélie resolved to clear the kitchen table, giving mother and son some privacy as they walked to the entryway. Josuke had insisted on residing at the hotel during his stay in Morioh, so that he may not impose on Amélie. But deep down he knew there were subjects he didn't want to touch.

The young man sat on the raised floor and dragged his shoes to his feet. He rose after putting them on, finding a frowning Tomoko staring at him.

"Are you planning on visiting the Hiroses?"

"They're few of my old friends still left in town," Josuke explained, drawing his black leather jacket from the metal coat-rack on the wall. "I was thinking of going tomorrow, before I come back for the movie."

Okuyasu of all people now lived and worked in Tokyo as a firefighter. To everyone's surprise, he had managed to settle peacefully with both his mutated father and his aircanon of a cat-plant, lodging right at the center of the buzzing metropolis. As for Rohan, the mangaka had gotten into the habit of periodically mailing signed volumes to every person he knew from the incident with Kira.

Tomoko regarded her son with doubtful eyes. "Yukako is a married woman, Josuke."

"Happily married," Josuke added. He wondered if his mother saw a precedent of her past mistakes in him. "I know. I probably won't be interacting with her after tomorrow."

Tomoko let out an exasperated sigh, then pulled her son into her arms.

"Mom, I'll be fine," Josuke said, gently patting her back.

Hearing the sound of the front door opening, Amélie left the kitchen and came up to them with a small paper bag.

"I packed two big slices for you," she said with a smile, extending the bag to Josuke. Her bright attitude made him feel at ease, and Josuke had already decided that he liked her very much.

"I'll see you both tomorrow, then," he said stepping outside.

Once out on the walkway, Josuke turned around and waved, and Tomoko closed the door behind him with reluctance.

* * *

Opening his eyes to an unfamiliar ceiling, Josuke blinked lazily and yawned. Switching dorms two times and moving around for internships acquainted him with many unfamiliar ceilings, and at least this one had intricate flowers and vines frosting its edges. The suite itself was spacious, with plated sofas and armchairs, and finely crafted wooden desks and coffee-tables. The furniture befitted a castle rather than a hotel room in a small suburban town.

Josuke turned on his side and curled up under the covers for warmth. Reminiscing about his second day in Morioh, he was surprised that Amélie grew even more pleasant by the day.

Amélie looked about his mother's age, slightly taller and with short brown hair adorning her pretty face. The woman whose eyes seemed to always smile had come to Japan soon after college, working as a math teacher ever since. On her down time she advised a literature club at a local highschool, jesting that poetry and math were practically indistinguishable. Josuke found her to be of good influence on his mother, but as far as anyone pried they would be housemates for a long time.

Phoning the Hirose residence he learned that Koichi was away on a business trip, and for lack of better judgement Josuke agreed to meet Yukako alone at the Rengatei café. His old schoolmate hadn't changed much, except instead of a school uniform she'd worn a sweater and jeans. Her hair was as long as ever, but Josuke reasoned it had a life of its own and Yukako couldn't just tamper with it as she pleased.

He wondered what her hair felt like to the touch and sighed, biting his lip. His mother's words came back to him, and Josuke grew hot with embarrassment.

"There's no point," he said to himself. "She's a married woman."

He needed a distraction before more images of Yukako crowded his mind. Josuke flung the covers to the side, and sat on the edge of the bed with a shiver. It was cold, but he hoped the morning air would cool off his head. He stood up and crossed to the window wall, where great scarlet curtains draped all the way to the floor. Pulling one curtain open, Josuke relished in the light and warmth that flooded the room.

It was nice and sunny outside, but his mother and Amélie had barely started their school shift. He'd have to entertain himself until dinnertime. The sound of the phone ringing made Josuke jump.

He hurried to the nightstand and brought the handset to his ear. "Hello?"

"Higashikata-sir," the hotel operator on the other end said. "A woman named Yukako Hirose wishes to speak to you."

"Let—let her through!" He sounded almost excited, and made a conscious effort to curb his enthusiasm.

"Josuke? It's Yukako. Can you drop by my house?" Before Josuke could chime in a word, the woman pushed on: "Do you remember Yua—Yua Takahashi? She was in a class parallel to yours; we shared the same entrance exam preparatory courses."

Now sitting back on the bed, Josuke rattled his brain for a clear memory. "A bit—yes."

"I think there's something really strange happening with her," Yukako said in a lower voice. "I need your help in this."

Josuke realized the meaning of those words at once. Stands users attract other stand users, and with Koichi gone, Josuke had been the most recent person to cross Yukako's mind.

"How urgent?"

"Yua is already waiting here."

"Give me time to get dressed and I'll head over. Should I get anything on the way?"

"No—no need. Josuke—thank you."

He nodded, even though she couldn't see it. "See you soon."

* * *

The Hirose residence occupied a two-storied cozy house and was located near the Yohei Pond, an area known for its greenery and quietude. Upon arrival Josuke was led into the living room, which mixed Western and traditional styles in its arrangement; a set of rollback sofas enclosed a tatami mat with a low wooden coffee-table atop. Yua was already sitting at the rectangular table, facing the TV set, and Josuke and Yukako took a seat on each side.

"You remember Josuke, don't you?" Yukako finally spoke, and Yua nodded in response. Perceptibly Josuke had only gotten taller, and he maintained his old hairstyle. "Well—I believe he can help us."

Josuke's eyes drifted over the porcelain plates on the table, filled with castella and butter cookies and waiting. He reached for a cookie then asked: "What am I helping with, exactly?"

"Yua works for the Inagaki household. She's the English tutor of their youngest son," Yukako continued, pouring tea into their cups from a decorated teapot. "Why don't you tell him the whole story, Yua?"

The woman's chestnut hair fell down to her shoulders, complemented by the serious black suit she was sporting. But as her brown almond eyes wandered over Josuke's face, he noticed a dreamy gleam in them.

A Tokyo University graduate in English and Education, Yua Takashi had returned to Morioh after an accident at work had left her father bedridden. The small town didn't readily provide starting positions, and she found tutoring rich kids to be a far more profitable occupation. The Inagakis were one of the oldest and wealthiest families in town, but the residence itself had been torn down and modified a few times over. Most of the family had dispersed abroad or in metropolitan areas, and the present occupants of the house were a widow with her two sons, aged 28 and 13. It was the youngest son, Eiji, that Yua tutored three times a week.

"Their family has a taste for the antique," Yua explained. "The study room looks like the area of a vintage library; tall brimming bookshelves reach all the way up to the ceiling, and the ceiling and walls are also panelled in lustrous wood. It even has a mechanical celestial globe in one corner!" She paused and took a sip of her tea. "There's also a small spare room connecting to the main study room—mostly books, and a writing-desk holding an old typewriter atop."

Josuke wasn't particularly interested in the place or the antiquated ornaments it carried. But as though it were a psychoanalysis session he listened to every detail Yua found important to tell. He wouldn't be able to focus on an empty stomach and forked half a castella cake this time.

"The mother insists we follow a traditional school curriculum. But we finish early, and Eiji gets to enjoy his break outside. I wait for the hour to end—sometimes I pace about the room or check out the books. And that's how I noticed—one day, someone had typed on it—"

"On the typewriter?"

"Show him the notebook," Yukako encouraged. Yua pulled out an ordinary A5 notebook from her bag and placed it on the table in front of Josuke.

"I found it peculiar so I've noted down every letter."

Josuke flipped through the written pages. The notebook was filled a quarter of the way through, and in English.

"I started working at the beginning of summer. Since the day I first saw it, without failure, there's been a letter waiting in that secluded room."

"How do you know it is waiting?" Josuke broke in.

Yua colored under his question and Yukako spoke instead: "It can't be a coincidence. Why would anyone type then leave the message behind, if they didn't want it found? If you read the letters, you'll understand!"

Suddenly aware of his negligence, Josuke bent his head down and flipped back to the first page. He started reading as the two women waited in silence.

_DAYLIGHT BEGAN TO_

_AWAKE AND ASTIR_

_KNOWLEDGE OF LIFE_

Letter 1

_YEARS. GO AND_

_SO FAR ALONE_

_ALMOST IN SILENCE_

Letter 2 …

_STRANGER IN PARTS_

_YOU ARE NOW_

_A TOLERABLE TIME_

Letter 7 …

_LOVING AND CHERISHING_

_AFFECTION—A THING_

_PUZZLES ME NOW_

Letter 12

The writing was ungrammatical—almost poetical. Josuke skipped a few pages ahead.

_NOT ALTOGETHER ENGLISH_

_SHE—A MISTRESS_

_OF ENGLISH MIND_

Letter 25

_SOBBING THIS WISH_

_SPRING RAINS POUR_

_WROUGHT OLD ENGLISH_

Letter 26

_UNEARTHLY THING—I_

_WISHED TO RENDER_

_THE TRUEST LOVE_

Letter 27

_AND NATURE INTENDED_

_I SHOULD LOVE_

_OF LOVE ALONE_

Letter 28

Josuke closed the notebook; the structure of the messages was curious, but it became tedious to read an affectation of love meant for someone else. He turned to Yua. "I need more time to look into this. Would you mind leaving the notebook with us? I can make photocopies."

"Josuke does psychological research with the Speedwagon Foundation," Yukako remarked.

"Ah, yes," Josuke assured. "I'm on a break right now, but I start working again next week. Time is limited, so I'd like to resolve this quick."

Yua sighed. "Yukako insisted, but—there is nothing to solve. It's probably the eldest son."

"A man like him could never write like that!" Yukako interjected passionately. "I keep telling you, it can't be him!"

Yua's felt her mouth twitch, but she didn't want to confront Yukako. "You can keep the notebook," she said, hurriedly closing her bag. "But I need to go now… It's almost time for my tutoring."

The woman politely excused herself to Josuke, and Yukako saw her to the door.

Coming back to the living room, Yukako sat beside Josuke. "The boy is being homeschooled," she explained, noticing his puzzled face. "His English lessons are early in the afternoon, and the family has hired tutors for other subjects as well."

"Do you really think it's stand?"

There was a tinge of sorrow in Yukako's voice. "I didn't mean to raise my voice earlier," she said, staring at the table. "But I've seen the eldest son around. He comes off as shy, but deep down he's dull."

Josuke considered his next words carefully. Yukako didn't exactly start off on the right foot with Koichi and his friends. And her reputation of being a crazy woman may still linger.

"If it is a stand—what's wrong with a stand that writes poetry?"

"A stand reflects a part of his user. And there's nothing for that man to reflect."

Josuke shrugged his shoulders resignedly. "Then whose stand is it? The kid doesn't know English, and I doubt it was their mother…"

"That, I do not know," Yukako said. "That's why I need your help." She raised her head and looked Josuke straight in the eye. "Look—I know what you think of me. I know what Okuyasu, or Rohan, or anyone thinks. I am not proud of how I've behaved in the past. But now—call it intuition, but I'm not crazy."

It was Josuke who looked down this time. The thought of Yukako knowing how he felt made his heart beat violently and his throat flutter. "What matters is that you changed, and Koichi noticed. That's why—that's why he fell for you." He felt his face grow hot and his ears burn.

"Josuke…"

The man raised his head, looking straight ahead with a smile. "I think it's impressive—to be able to tell a quiet soul from a dull one. And if anyone in Morioh can do that, I am sure it would be you." He turned, finally meeting her gaze. "I am sorry for doubting you, Yukako. You're my friend, and I should have considered your opinion."

Yukako's usual stern expression softened. "I dragged you into this, so I'm at fault as well. And I didn't consider Yua's feelings either." She tapped the notebook's cover gently, then asked: "Say, do you want to grab something to eat? I get no motivation to cook when Koichi isn't around, and all I've had for breakfast is snacks. We can take the subway to S City."

Josuke's eyes widened. "Are you sure it's okay?"

"Why wouldn't it be?"

He supposed Tomoko might find it suspicious, but Yukako's eyes and devotion were for Koichi only. "Sounds good then. We can make copies of the letters on the way."

* * *

By the time they arrived at S City it was already lunch hour. The crowded restaurants offered no chance of privacy, and Josuke and Yukako opted to buy bento boxes from a convenience store. After waiting in line for a good fifteen minutes they finally headed to a nearby park.

During lunch Yukako spoke mostly of Koichi, intermixing past and present events in her chatter, and Josuke felt he learned nothing new. Yukako and Koichi were the type of couple to send postcards or pictures during holidays, detailing how well they were doing; postcards that made single people like Josuke bubble with cringe and envy.

"Don't you ever get lonely waiting for him?" Josuke finally asked, placing the empty bento box aside on the bench.

The old Yukako would have gotten angry at him, but presently she admitted to frequent bouts of loneliness. "I'm proud of Koichi, and would do anything to see him succeed. But sometimes—promotions come with days at a time away, sometimes a week… I worry that one day it will take even longer." She stared at her feet, the bento box still on her lap. "I get bored stiff without him."

"Have you considered working? It could help pass the time until Koichi comes back."

"I didn't particularly care about any subject at my university. I only studied math to help Koichi with his economics lectures." Koichi and Yukako had gone to the same university, and while Koichi was one year her junior, they had managed to graduate at the same time.

Josuke watched the shifting shadows dance on her face, as leaves swayed in the wind. The curiosity of knowing something new about Yukako possessed him. "What about now? Are you bored now?"

"Of course not!" Yukako said, raising her head with a smile. "At first, I only wanted to help Yua. But now—I can't wait to get to the bottom of this!"

Josuke sprang to his feet. "Let's get going then! We'll make photocopies, and go through all the letters tonight and tomorrow.—Do you think it will be hard to persuade the Inagakis to visit their house?"

Yukako looked at him frankly. "Not one bit. You are an employee of the Speedwagon Foundation, aren't you?"

A slight frown settled on Josuke's face. It was so much like Yukako to disregard customs and use all the cards in her hold. He could only mutter an agreement.

* * *

Yua had left Yukako's house in an irritable mood. She wasn't happy with the pace the whole shebang had taken after Josuke's involvement, but kept it all bottled up inside during the lesson. That year had been a cruel one and Yua found herself fascinated, rather than disturbed, by the sudden affection.

"Eiji," she asked the boy after the lesson was over. "Do you know much about the typewriter in the back room?"

The little boy became pensive for a moment. "I know Hideo brought an old uncle to make it work again. But mother said it'll be donated to a local museum in a bit."

"I see.—You can take a break now. Just give me your classwork and I shall grade it."

Eiji left the room with a cheer and Yua sat alone with her thoughts. She'd rather figure out the mind behind the curtain on her own.

The old typewriter looked more like a quarter scale model of a Greek temple than a mundane typing machine. Four Doric columns encased its vertically-raised typebars, chrome-plated and bundled into a funnel; while a secured platen emerged from the roof-like structure they supported. The keys stood at the crepidoma steps and the entire machinery was coated in smudges of bronze and glossy green.

As expected, there was a new message waiting on the white sheet of paper.

_AND SENTIMENTS GROWING_

_GARLANDS OF FLOWERS_

_IN MY HAND_

Yua took a deep breath, then pressed the cold metal keys with unsteady hands.

_I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT YOU._

* * *

Josuke sat on the sofa facing the window wall, his head bent over the photocopied pages scattered atop the coffee-table. Yukako had suggested they look for some sort of code or hidden pattern, but as far as he knew neither had done much progress. The young man slouched back, wondering if they really could discover any clues in the hours leading to Yua's next tutoring.

For the second time that week he got startled by the hotel phone ringing early in the morning. Josuke walked back to the nightstand still dressed in his pyjamas.

"Josuke, we're heading over!"

He felt his heart jump in his chest. "Yukako—please tell me this is not what I think it is.—We talked about this!" After returning the notebook, their agreement with Yua had been to visit the Inagaki residence during her tutoring session.

"I know, I know," Yukako conceded. "But I was sitting inside the Rengatei café when he walked by the window. I never believed that man wrote the letters, but I had to be absolutely certain!"

Josuke sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Alright—alright. I'll be downstairs in ten minutes."

Hanging up, the youth took a deep breath to steady himself; Yukako had effectively coerced one of the most powerful men in Morioh to see them. Josuke scrambled into a pair of jeans and a red knitted sweater, and headed to the door after grabbing his work ID.

The elevator ride back to his room was spent in awkward silence. With Hideo now situated on the sofa, Josuke cleared his throat and spoke: "My name is Josuke Higashikata, and I work with the Speedwagon Foundation, under the Abnormal Psychology division. Yukako Hirose is a math graduate from Kyoto University, and an old friend of mine. We believe there's an intruder writing strange messages in your house, and we'd like your permission to investigate." He took his work ID off his neck and placed it on the coffee-table for Hideo to see.

Hideo only spared a brief glance. "The lovely miss Yukako did explain something about the letters—and I'm a bit of a science enthusiast myself. But, if I can venture an advice—wouldn't this fall under the jurisdiction of the police?"

"The police won't help," Yukako chimed in from the armchair beside him. "You surely remember the serial incidents of six years ago; Josuke and I were both highschoolers back then—Budo-ga Oka Middle and High School. I do believe this case to be similar in nature."

"The so-called paranormal murders?—Higashikata, wasn't it? If I recall correctly, there was a policeman by that same name who lost his life."

"He was my grandfather—yes…"

"Then you should understand the gravity of this situation. I can't have my family run any risks!"

Josuke straightened up in his armchair. "The Foundation favors the term _abnormal_. There's nothing paranormal about it; just people who use methods—technologies a layperson has yet to understand. It's what the Foundation was built to study in the first place."

Hideo fell silent.

"Your mother and brother don't need to be in the house," Yukako pushed on with confidence. "Only I, Josuke, and Yua. Give us the usual tutoring time. If we're not back within the hour, you can alert the police."

"In fact, call this number as well," Josuke added, scribbling a number down on one of the photocopies. "The Foundation would be happy to assist."

Hideo pressed one hand to his forehead, trying to collect his thoughts. After a long silence, he looked up and spoke a reluctant agreement.

"I suppose you now want to hear all I know about the typewriter," Hideo continued, leaning forward. "I already got started with miss Yukako, but she insisted both of you had to be present."

Josuke nodded. "It would help our investigation, as it is the object chosen by the intruder."

"I only know of it as a relic passed down my father's family line," Hideo began slowly, fiddling with one of the photocopies as he spoke. "After my father's death, we opened up his collection. Our family goes way back—having British ties well into the Meiji Era, a lot of foreign delegates—my ancestors probably reveled in Western technologies.—I don't know how it came to be in our possession, or what the previous owners did with it... But the machine was in good condition when I found it."

Josuke had rested one elbow on his knee, and sat listening with his chin on the raised hand. In silence, he summoned Crazy Diamond a few times during the account, but Hideo seemed to take no notice of the tall humanoid figure hovering about.

"The collector I brought over said the typewriter has historical value. It predates the standardized design, and not many units were produced—the company sold out in the early 1900s. I didn't take much interest in its engineering, only the aesthetics… We were going to donate it to the Museum of Science and Industry in the M Prefecture." Hideo paused and let go of the paper. "That's about all I know."

Yukako was standing still, leaning back in the armchair with folded arms. Despite her insolence Hideo presented himself as an agreeable man. But she had guessed the truth and a scheming spirit awoke within her.

Left alone with Josuke at the hotel lobby, Yukako couldn't help but boast with earnestness in her voice: "I was right, wasn't I? Now all that's left is to tell Yua about the change in our plan."

"Breakfast first!" Josuke insisted. "If it comes down to fighting—I'd rather not do so on an empty stomach." It came to him as no surprise that Yukako had been right; it was only natural that she—who loved so intensely—had a keen sense in matters of love.

"Now that you mention it—I didn't have time to order anything at the café," Yukako said, turning to look at the lobby sign displaying the menu for the day. "As soon as I saw Hideo Inagaki, I ran after him."

"Say—Yukako—," Josuke began with hesitation, thankful that her back was turned and she couldn't see the flush on his face. "The Illumillion lightshow should be up in S City. If we escape this predicament unscathed—I'd like to try the ferris wheel ride…"

* * *

Yua stood by the large half-shuttered window, lamenting the ridiculous position she'd swept herself into. The page was blank this time, and she stared out into the garden with an anxious line between her brows.

"It's not like someone will suddenly drop by," the woman sighed, feeling her hopes die away by the minute. There was a faint clinking of gears meshing together and then she heard it: the clunky mechanical strokes and the clacking of metal against the papered platen.

Yua turned her head and clutched the window-sill for fear of falling over. "Who—who goes there?" she shouted, her heart pounding furiously. One quick look around the small room and she found herself alone.

The clattering started again, and this time Yua saw the keys move. Her face turned white at the sight, and panic-stricken, it took all of her waning strength to stay put.

"Yukako?" she called out, unsure.

The typing took up with insistent pace, getting louder by the moment. Feeling her legs grow weak, Yua held her breath and chanced one last sprint out of the room. She hit a wall where the doorway used to be and tumbled backwards, wincing in pain.

Now sitting on the floor, Yua opened her eyes wide at the changed room around her; her fingers grazed the velvet carpet beneath her and she glanced over the place in trepidation. The walls were high and crowded with decorations; and plants, paintings, and china cabinets closed in on the cushioned furniture. There was a fireplace at the very end of the room and Yua looked away, cramping for air.

The typewriter didn't seem to have moved, but now stood atop a hutched desk whose top drawers were covered in books and small ornaments. Beside it, a patio glassdoor extended into what seemed to be a greenhouse.

"None of this makes sense," Yua muttered under her breath, dropping her gaze to the carpeted floor.

Her body began to shake as the terror-induced adrenaline surged up to her head. The typing resumed its violent rhythm, and Yua brought her hands over her ears to shut out the noise.

"Shut up!" she shrieked. "SHUT UP!"

* * *

Josuke and Yukako sat waiting in one of the many living rooms on the first floor of the Inagaki residence, just nearby the study room where Yua held her lessons. The agreement was to hang back until the end of the usual tutoring time, and if nothing happened, inspect the spare library room themselves. Yet as he kept shooting rapid glances at Yukako, Josuke began to doubt if their plan could actually work. Yua insisted on being alone in the study room, and they'd carelessly indulged her request, betting all on a gut feeling that the stand user held no animosity towards the tutor.

"It's wise not to involve the Foundation in this one," Josuke reasoned in his head. Only a few of their staff were stand users, and Jotaro had plenty of horror stories to share—stories of how easily even the most experienced personnel could die in a stand fight.

His gaze returned to Yukako, who was gazing at the clock and tapping the fingers of the right hand on her left arm. Her long hair had started to move perceptibly, and her undulating locks swelled and fell sharply.

"Hissing," Josuke thought. "It is hissing."

The prolonged silence should have disturbed them both, and Yukako stood up as an uncomfortable sensation came over her. Josuke tried to speak, but the words froze on his tongue, as they suddenly found themselves in an unfamiliar corridor. He blinked in perplexion, staring at the rows of wooden doors stretching before them.

"What the—Open, goddammit!" Josuke growled. He had chanced one of the doors open and it remained safely locked.

"Out of the way!"

Before Josuke could turn around, Yukako's hair elongated and streamed forward in multiple locks; its ends furiously grasping each doorknob and giving them a hard pull. He only caught a glimpse of her dangerous eyes before the site shifted once again, flinging Yukako onto a heavy bookshelf. Her hair retrieved to its normal length, and Yukako groaned in pain as more books fell on her body.

Josuke rushed at her side, kneeling down as Crazy Diamond's hand hovered over her laying form. "Shit! Yukako—are you alright?"

"Yes—I'm fine." She pushed herself up and dusted off her blue pullover and jeans, taking no notice of Josuke's concerned face.

"I suppose it is time to get to the bottom of this…" Josuke spoke softly, and Yukako looked up with apprehensive eyes. Crazy Diamond could restore anything to their original state, and Josuke was trying to return to their starting point.

"DORA!" the silver-cladded, pink humanoid yelled, as he delivered a swift punch to the floor.

The place shifted again, and again, and again; its furniture and design drifting through decades in no remarkable order. At one point Josuke found himself suspended in the air, and Love Deluxe pulled him over the balustrade as he fell.

"Why—Why isn't it working?" Josuke turned to Yukako with bewildered eyes, as she set him down on the cold tiles. "Take me to the source, dammit!"

Casting his gaze low, Josuke started slamming his fist on the ground, duplicating the movements of his stand. Their location kept shifting frantically with his motions, and his neatly combed pompadour began to fall apart in strands.

"Josuke, stop. That's—that's enough!" Yukako exclaimed, pulling his arm. "It's the same as what I did before.—It—it thinks we're attacking it!"

His last punch came down hard, then Josuke stopped and shook his hair angrily back from his eyes. Glancing at Yukako's kneeling figure and pondering face, he felt distress drown out the anger in his head. She could bring the whole mansion crashing down, and yet she didn't, because they had no clue of Yua's whereabouts.

Massaging his hurting knuckles, Josuke bit his lip so hard that he tasted blood. Whatever the stand was, it must have felt intruded upon, and now angered, it continued to alter itself long after the battery of hits had ceased. It went so fast now, that a frenzy of colors and motion began to whirl around and below them, as the two youths watched with helplessness.

* * *

"Shut up! SHUT UP!"

As though on command, the clatter stopped abruptly. Yua rose on trembling legs, feeling her body still ache from the impact. She noticed the shut paneled door straight in front of her, but trusted her instinct not to get close.

The young woman turned and stared into the greenhouse instead; its greenery providing a breath of respite for her agitated nerves. She recognized the rows of tree-ferns and rose banks, but didn't know what to make of the other flowering plants. Feeling her anxiety gradually slip out, Yua walked towards the bright glass wall with cautious steps. It was all too incredible she thought, but in spite of the initial shock, she must look her current reality square in the face.

Her eyes travelled slowly to the typewriter, and the words printed on the paper made Yua collapse on the cushioned chair in front of it.

_WANT TO KNOW_

_KNOW ABOUT YOU_

She covered her face with both hands and burst into a cry: "I don't understand—any of this. I don't understand it at all!—Who—who are you?"

There was a long pause, then the printed letters began to fade. The keys moved slowly this time, falling into a soft, flat rhythm that filled the room. Yua dropped her hands to her sides and raised her eyes.

_GALLERY OF MEMORY_

_OF TIMES PAST_

_COUNTRIES FAR AWAY_

The platen spinned and the paper rolled up.

_HUMANS ARE THERE_

Smoothly, the paper rolled up again.

_WITH NO EYES_

_I SEE THEM_

_MY FIRST RECOLLECTION_

_HEARD WIND RUSHING_

_FELT THEIR WORDS_

Yua's gaze turned inquisitive, and the words trembled on her lips: "I'm sorry—I don't quite…"

A short pause pause followed, then the typing resumed.

_AUTOMATON—A MACHINE_

_A LIVING VOICE_

_TIED DOWN INTO_

A memory came back to her:_ "Unearthly thing, I". _Yua sighed, beginning to piece together a narrative in her head.

"But my friends. My friends!" she blurted out. "I don't know what happened to them… Oh, how dreadful!" Her eyes dilated with horror at the thought of Josuke and Yukako.

The printed letters disappeared and the platen knob spun backwards, rolling the paper down.

_HAD NO TIME_

Yua knitted her brows.

_WHIRLED AWAY SOON_

_FAR ENOUGH AWAY_

_AWAY FROM YOU_

The sound of keystrokes died away into silence, and the realization finally hit her.

"The museum… They're sending you away to the museum."

The mechanical clacking was answer enough.

_HOPES, WISHES, SENTIMENTS_

_TIME TO TELL_

_HASTILY WIPED AWAY_

Yua leaned back in her chair, considering perplexedly what to do next. There was a lot she wanted to say, but it was all rendered dull by fear and confusion.

"Well—now you told me," Yua finally managed to say. "Now, I know."

For a long moment there was only silence—like a deliberate pause akin to hesitation. Then it replied:

_NOW YOU KNOW_

In a flash the room reverted back to normal, and Yua found herself sitting on the familiar mundane chair.

* * *

The Kōtōdai Park ferris wheel overlooked a small zelkova forest; its stellated form towering over the sprawl of trees and grass-lined paths. Lightshows were S City's special pride, and their Illumillion decorations brought in countless visitors during Christmas. The trees were wrapped and adorned in sparkly flickering lights and even the ground was covered in neon shapes of flowers and dots.

The ferris wheel itself shone no less; its steel ribs and sturdy tubes flaring ever-changing colors in succession. Inside one of the curved cubic cabins, Josuke and Yukako sat across from one another: Yukako looking at the scenery around them, and Josuke much preferring to look at her.

Their conversation was spent mostly on past events; on how the house suddenly stopped shifting, and what Yua had witnessed, and how the fate of all three came down to the stand's decision.

"Not so much of a stand," Josuke had said, "Rather a merge between a stand and its user, if it could be called one."

They sat in silence after, floating above a sea of shimmering lights, and Josuke wondered what was it about bright specks against the dark that brought out old melancholy in people. He thought back to his highschool years, and how the memories distressed him. His acquainting with love had been like a seed fallen upon forgotten ground and sprouting when it's least expected. She's a married woman, he'd repeat to himself like a catechism. There really was no point. Yet the feelings were there, staring him in the face, and he couldn't speak, and he couldn't scream.

The ferris wheel stopped on its route, and Josuke gazed at Yukako, her image etched against the surging glow. There was so much he wanted to say and yet he couldn't.

"Yukako," Josuke began with hesitation. "I've been thinking about these past days—and—and I think we make a great duo—"

His face flushed red like his sweater, and he took a little pause.

"It may not be my place to bring this up—but… I think you are smart, and amazing, and—and you could do so much more…"

_Just a proof_, Josuke prayed to whatever deity happened to be listening, _A proof that my love was of some consequence to her._

"The—the Speedwagon Foundation could use someone like you."

* * *

Yua opened up the bedroom window and sat down at the desk beside it. The morning was sunny and warm, and the community park below was already buzzing with laughter and sounds from passersby and children playing.

"It's quite pleasant outside," Yua remarked, staring out into the cloudless expanse of blue. For a moment, she became absorbed in the view, then turned around slowly to ask: "So—how are you doing today?"

Clacking sounds rose and died away across the room.

_I WISH YOU_

_MORNING TO NOON_

_NOON TO NIGHT_

Yua chuckled to herself, watching the garbled message with an earnest face. "I believe I will also do well today," she said.

She jotted down on her notebook, then put it aside and fetched one of the many books lying on the desk. Yua went on with her reading, resting her chin on one hand, and humming lightly from time to time. By noon the street hubbub had died down, and Yua decided to take a break.

Looking at the typewriter beside the heaps of books and papers, a sudden idea dawned on her face. "If you gained the ability to speak, how loud would you want to be heard?"

* * *

Josuke sat at his work desk in the office he shared with two other researchers. He'd received an email from Yukako, and the included link brought him over to a rather plain-looking personal blog. At the top, _Yua Takahashi's Love Letters_ stood out in a large font, and scrolling through, the website was structured as daily-posted messages, some of which Josuke recognized. It even had a forum section; most questions pertaining to the identity of the writer and the denial of authorship on part of the webmaster.

According to Yukako's email, the website's popularity had surged rapidly. Gathering a considerable fanbase, there were even rumors of publishing companies reaching out. Josuke pondered if an email to Yua was worth sending. The Foundation didn't have sophisticated means to study stands, and perhaps Yua's account could provide some introspection.

He clicked back to the email, revisiting the last paragraph:

_I did consider it carefully, and finally decided to contact the Tokyo Branch. They said they're looking to expand remotely, possibly for roaming and part-time staff. It would take a bit of training, but I think I can manage. Wouldn't it be nice if the zones matched Koichi's travel itinerary? _

_Yukako_

Josuke only smiled affably. He then logged off, ready to catch his colleagues on their afternoon break.

* * *

Stand Name: LOVE MACHINE

Stand User: ?

Stand Ability:

_NO LONGER FLESH_

_REALITY—HALF REMEMBRANCE_

_THROBBED WITHIN ME_

Power - D

Speed - A

Range - B

Durability - None

Precision - A

Potential - S (special)


End file.
